PHIUS Partner Organizations

PHIUS developed the climate-specific PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Standard in partnership with Building Science Corporation (BSC) under a US Department of Energy (DOE) Building America grant. The research underpins the PHIUS+ 2015 performance targets, which represent the "sweet spot" between aggressive energy-saving measures and cost effectiveness, in an effort to make passive building mainstream. PHIUS and BSC also regularly collaborate on building science presentations at PHIUS’ Annual North American Passive House Conference and BSC's Annual Westford Symposium.

PHIUS and the Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) School of Architecture have partnered to develop ways to insert passive house into undergraduate/master degree programs. The two organizations also regularly collaborate to provide passive house professional training programs in support of increased PHIUS+ building certifications.

Working with the US Department of Energy (DOE), PHIUS aligned its PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Certification program with the DOE's Zero Energy Ready Home (ZERH) program. As a result, PHIUS+ 2015 certification also earns ZERH status, qualifying projects for benefits including eligibility for the ZERH Lender program.

PHIUS is an affiliate of the Efficient Windows Collaborative (EWC), a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization committed to expanding the market for high-efficiency fenestration products. EWC provides unbiased information on the benefits of energy-efficient windows, descriptions of how they work, and recommendations for their selection and use.

Enterprise Green Communities (EGC) helps developers, investors, builders and policymakers make the transition to a green future for affordable housing. It provides state housing agencies with criteria to select affordable housing projects to receive Low Income Housing Tax Credits. In 2015, EGC included PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Certification in its criteria.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Building Physics (IBP) in Germany focuses on research, development, testing, demonstration and consulting in the various specialist areas of building physics, including solutions for improving energy efficiency. Fraunhofer IBP works together with industry partners to help develop and launch innovative solutions. PHIUS collaborated with Fraunhofer IBP and Owens Corning to develop the WUFI® Passive software, a powerful user-friendly passive building energy modeling tool that is uniquely suited to the North American market.

The Residential Energy Services Network (RESNET) was founded in 1995 as an independent, non-profit organization to help homeowners reduce the cost of their utility bills by making their homes more energy efficient. RESNET trains and certifies energy raters and sets standards such as the Home Energy Rating System (HERS®) Index, the industry standard by which a home's energy efficiency is measured. It is also the nationally recognized system for inspecting, testing, and calculating a home's energy performance. PHIUS partnered with RESNET in 2012 to include RESNET-approved QA/QC through on-site inspections in PHIUS+ certification. PHIUS+ was the first passive building certification program to require third-party verification.

Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) is an independent, non-partisan nonprofit “think-and-do” tank that drives the efficient and restorative use of resources. RMI advances market-based solutions, engaging businesses, communities, and institutions to cost-effectively shift to efficiency and renewables. RMI employs rigorous research, analysis, and whole-systems expertise to develop breakthrough insights. In partnership with collaborators, chiefly in the private sector, RMI tests and refines those ideas. RMI's strategic focus is transforming global energy use to create a clean, prosperous, and secure energy future.

To advance the organization’s mission and propel the industry, RMI developed the Innovation Center in Basalt, Colorado in December 2015. Similar in size and program to about 90% of all commercial buildings in the United States, this project is the first in the world to achieve both PHIUS+ 2015 Passive Building Standard and Source Zero Energy certification and demonstrates the feasibility of achieving net zero commercial buildings today.

Viva Green Homes provides a public listings platform for eco and energy efficient homes so sellers can more accurately market their home and gain the return on their investment. VGH aids consumers in the adoption of clean technologies and sustainability by educating them about the advantages of owning a certified, eco and energy efficient home as well as providing an abundance of listings to give them real choices in the market.